Two Daughters
by Alone in the Desert
Summary: A series of fluffy ficlets centering around one very sweet and slightly unlikely couple. Femmeslash
1. The Morning after A Long, Cold Night

The Morning after A Long, Cold Night 

_Disclaimer: All characters and locations herein are the property of Tamora Pierce. Plot and actual written words owned by me. _

It was not long past dawn when Keladry heard a faint knock on her door. She'd been in her dressing chamber washing up after her morning exercises, her brow and hands were still damp when she opened the door to her bower. She was puzzled, not expecting company so early.

She was met with a grinning figure in dusty travel gear. "Care for a morning ride?"

"When did you come back?" asked Kel.

Aly shrugged. "My ship docked in Port Caynn at about midnight. I made straight for Corus, and only just arrived."

"You rode all night, and you want to go out, now?" asked Kel, incredulous.

"Well, look at me," said Aly reasonably. "I'm all geared up for riding, aren't I? May as well make use of it."

It was true; she was clad in wool breeches and a short riding cloak, her feet shod with serviceable riding boots, her reddish hair tied back with a leather string. Kel herself still wore her cotton training clothes and soft-soled shoes.

"Don't tell me your horse is saddled and waiting outside," said Kel.

Aly shook her head. "I left the poor beast to his rest. It wasn't _my_ horse, anyway. Dena has been in the palace stables the whole time I was away, and is probably fresh and eager to ride by now. Not saddled, I'm afraid, but I think I can manage that."

Kel examined the shadows under Aly's bright eyes critically. "Are you sure this is wise --"

"Keladry, dear," interjected Aly with a smile, "shut up."

She pondered this. Aly was unlikely to go to sleep now, unreasonably energized as she seemed. If Kel suggested it again, it would only make the stubborn lass more adamant to go riding than ever. The girl could certainly handle working through the night better than Kel ever could. She was a morning person, essentially.

She stood aside to let her in, Aly promptly kissed her on the nose and made for the dressing chamber. "Be ready by the time I'm out!" she ordered playfully.

She was, of course.


	2. Crickets

Crickets 

_Disclaimer: All characters and locations herein are the property of Tamora Pierce. Plot and actual written words owned by me. _

"Kel?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you awake?"

Kel rolled over. "For you, always."

Aly's smile was apparent, even in the dark. "Flirt," she accused.

"No, that's you," replied Kel earnestly.

Aly laughed softly before being quiet for a time, long enough that Kel could hear crickets chirp and the mellow calls of owls flitting about on their nightly hunt. Even the ripple of a nearby stream reached her ears.

"Kel?" said Aly again.

"I'm here." She turned to face her.

"My mother knows I've been spending time with you, Kel," said Aly. "It pleases her; you know how much she likes you."

Kel said nothing, knowing it was better to let Aly find her own words rather than steer her, possibly away from what she really wished to talk about.

"I'm not sure I like it, Kel. No, it's not that I'm ashamed of you, or that I don't want people to know about us. It's nothing like that."

She hadn't thought it was.

"You know how she is, Kel," said Aly, her voice falling into the tone of a long-suffering routine. "She wishes I was different than I am, and she always has. Even now, when she -- ostensibly! -- accepts me, I can tell she wishes I'd been different. That I'd been…" she hesitated, "more like you."

Kel was suddenly acutely reminded of a tilting match of long ago. She knew the feeling, yet she didn't want to say as much. There were few people Aly could talk about her mother with, she knew this, and she wanted to be one of those people.

"I'm gladder when she doesn't mind the people I'm with. You've no idea how exhausting it is keeping company your family disapproves of," she confided.

Kel thought she did.

"But… " Aly hesitated again. "As good as it is to know she's not scowling at my back whenever I leave the house, I'm not sure I like _why_ she likes that you're my friend. You know?" she turned to her and looked at her closely, anxiously.

"I think I do," replied Kel softly.

"Am I being needlessly mistrustful of my mother?" demanded Aly suddenly.

"No more than usual," answered Kel with a smile.

Aly slapped her shoulder. "This is serious," she chided.

"The very future of our relationship hangs in the balance," agreed Kel too earnestly.

Aly pouted in response.

"You're being silly, love," said Kel, tilting her head slightly. "Don't take this too seriously. What is the worst of it? Perhaps your mother wishes us to be close, so that I may rub off on you and make you more respectable. What of it, then? We were close before your mother knew of it, weren't we? I've never tried to make you be anyone but yourself, and there is no reason why I should start now. Not even for the Lioness. And all this, for something you imagine your mother _might_ be thinking."

"It would be just like her to think that too!" bristled Aly, pulling away from Kel to sit up in her bedroll.

"If she's anything at all like me, she loves you for who you are, not who you're not," said Kel quietly.

Slowly, Aly sank back down among the covers, looking vaguely abashed. "She's not at _all_ like you, come to think about it," she objecting finally. "I like you _much_ better."

"That's good to know," murmured Kel offhandedly, already sleepy.

Aly pulled the bedroll covers back up and snuggled against her, back into the circle of campground that was even and free of small stones. Kel had cleared them away before she had spread out their bedroll earlier that evening, and the smooth dirt was easier on both their backs.

"Definitely much better," she said into Kel's neck, sneaking one arm around her.

"I take this conversation to mean, your mother doesn't know just _how_ close we are," said Kel.

There was a short silence, and again they could both hear the sounds of nocturnal animals and breaths of night wind around their camp. Far away a wolf howled, was answered by another and soon many more.

"Tomorrow," said Aly finally. "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Kel's sigh was barely audible. "Alright, love," she said kissing her hairline lightly.


	3. A Report for the King

A Report for the King 

_Disclaimer: All characters and locations herein are the property of Tamora Pierce. Plot and actual written words owned by me. _

It was only when she noticed the smell of musk hanging thick in the air of her office that she looked up from her paperwork.

"Watcha doin'?" The girl in the doorway wore a gown of dark red silk, coral ear-bobs and a musky perfume so rich as to be almost syrupy. The commoner's accent was as immaculately adopted as her posture, draped back against the open door and the long sinuous strides as she shut and latched the door, making for Kel's desk.

"Writing a report for the king," answered Kel with a tired smile.

Aly stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Boring!" she announced.

"Quite," agreed Kel, and dipped her quill in the inkpot.

Aly cocked her head to one side, considering. "I think not," she said, her voice precise. With deft fingers she plucked the quill out of Kel's hand and tossed it carelessly on the desk.

"You'll spot my parchment," scolded Kel.

"I'm heartbroken," declared Aly, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead with flair.

"His Majesty does not care for spotty reports," said Kel, "and nor does Lord Raoul."

"Ah, well, that changes everything," replied Aly. "It means _they're_ heartbroken."

"And you are quite well," said Kel.

"Quite," agreed Aly with a wicked smile.

"Do you have plans for you newfound wellness?"

Delicately lifting the hems of her red skirts from the floor, Aly lifted one leg and seated herself on Kel's lap. She faced her, wrapping both arms around the other woman's neck and leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "A few."

Kel's hand crawled up the silken back of the gown, flitted across the tickling ends of hair to weave her fingers deeply among the strands, up the nape of her neck, pulling her close for a long, drawn out kiss. "Your health is impeccable," she decreed, "and I must get back to work."

Aly groaned, pushing back to regard her face. "Keladry, it is well past midnight!"

"Yes," agreed Kel with an amiable smile. "That is why I really must finish this report now. It's late, you see."

"Too late to work," purred Aly, flicking a finger up Kel's neck and then under her chin. "Don't you ever play?"

"Often," said Kel. "Not now."

Aly did not give up, but took Kel's arms and wrapped them around her waist. "Can't you do it in the morning?"

"If I finish it tonight, I'll have more free time tomorrow," reasoned Kel, pulling her chair closer to the desk.

"Oh, I know knights, you're all alike," said Aly, flapping a dismissing hand. "You _never_ have free time, not even when pretty girls throw themselves at you." Raising herself from Kel's lap she settled to sit on the desk, looking down at her reprovingly, and crossed her arms across the laced bodice of her deep red gown.

"You're sitting on my report," Kel pointed out.

"Oh, really?" replied Aly, flitting her lashes. "I hadn't noticed."

"Care to move?"

"Care to make me?"

Kel stood up to unseat Aly, who retaliated by curling one leg around Kel's thigh. "Make me," she said again, as Kel's hand came to rest on her leg. She leaned back, her arms behind her, her hands spread over the parchments to brace her. Kel's other hand fingered the black lacings of her bodice. Aly smirked as Kel clenched both her arms, pulling her tight against her body, both legs dropping with her toes just touching the floor.

Aly eased her hands to lock behind Kel's neck as they kissed. She hadn't even noticed that Kel had turned and was moving her away from the desk until she was pressed between her body and the office wall. When Aly ended the kiss, Kel pulled away and strode right back to her desk, starting to shuffle papers into order. Aly gasped in shock and affront. She ran a hand through her mussed hair with great dignity.

Just as Kel was sitting down again, quill in hand, Aly came up to the desk in three long strides and swept her arm across the surface. The papers tumbled to the ground, soaked in ink from the upended bottle. Kel looked up at Aly to find her smiling angelically. Her smile did not waver as she retook her seat upon the cleared section of the desk, flicked her slippers off, and placed a stocking-clad foot on each of Kel's knees.

"Wench," murmured Kel, reaching under her skirt and up her leg to tug at the rim of the stocking, peeling it off.

The now bare foot inched farther up Kel's thigh. She tickled the big toe experimentally but the treatment elicited no giggle. She reached up again, to remove the other stocking. Aly wrapped both legs around her hips as she stood up and leaned in to kiss her, then started to unlace her bodice.

"Does this mean I win?" she asked innocently.

"You always win," replied Kel with a wry smile.

They were curled together, naked on the floor, covered under Kel's cloak when the dawn began to break.

"There's a ball tomorrow night," said Aly enticingly. "You could come."

Kel considered. "I think I'll be in my office, working. I have a report for the king I have to finish."

Aly sighed contentedly. "I was hoping you'd say that."


	4. Bread and Butter

Bread and Butter 

_Disclaimer: All characters and locations herein are the property of Tamora Pierce. Plot and actual written words owned by me. _

When Aly woke, Kel wasn't there. She panicked for a moment, then kicked off the comforter and linen and shoved aside the bed's hangings. She let out an audible sigh when she saw that Kel, already dressed, was circling around the room with a long spear-like weapon that swished when she swung it.

She got up and started inspecting the chamber again, giving the knight and her blade a respectful berth. It was neat and spare, with foreign-looking watercolor images decorating the walls and a series of statuettes lined up on the mantle. Idly, she picked up a silver-backed brush from the dressing table and ran it through her hair a few times. She was just examining the seals pressed into the leather of a clothing chest when someone spoke behind her.

"You should put some clothes on."

She smiled, but did not turn around. "You seemed less fond of them, last night," she remarked.

"You'll catch your death of cold, though."

"Perhaps you're right," said Aly pensively.

She had no idea where her own clothes were, could not even remember what she'd been wearing last night. The clothing chest at her feet, however, was not locked. She lifted its cover and peered inside. The garments were as alien as the watercolor cherry trees or the porcelain cats. A color caught her eye, a pale, wintry green. Her hands found the correct silken layer and pulled it out without disrupting the other carefully folded layers.

Aly shook out the folded garment and held it against her bare body. The silk was smooth and chilly to touch, but she knew it would warm to her, if she wore it long enough. She decided she liked it, and went to appraise its effect on her in the large mirror.

"It's a _Kimono_ robe, a Yamani garment."

Aly nodded and turned around, slipping her arms into the robe's wide sleeves.

"That color looks good on you," offered Kel.

Aly hesitated. "Thank you."

She was dressed in serviceable cotton training clothes such as Aly had seen those of the Queen's Riders or her mother wear. Her skin gleamed with sweat from her exercises, and her normally sleek hair was mussed. When she noticed Aly's scrutiny, her hand flew self-consciously to straighten it.

"I need something to hold this closed," mumbled Aly, returning to the clothes chest to look for a sash or belt. Behind her back, she heard Kel's footsteps going in the direction of the dressing table.

When she had secured the robe with a wide black sash and turned around, Kel was not in the room. She picked one of the two doors in random and tried to open it. It was latched. She knocked.

"A moment, please!" called Kel from inside.

Aly waited with apprehension.

The latch clicked and the door swung slowly open.

"So," said Kel.

"So," agreed Aly, even though it seemed such a stupid thing to say at this time.

"We should get breakfast," said Kel. "We should talk about what happened last night."

Reluctantly, Aly agreed again.

After a moment Kel moved away from the dressing room door. "Stay here; I'll get us something to eat." She left.

She brought fresh bread, cheese and butter, and those autumn apples that carried such a heady scent. She set the tray on the table in the center of the room, and went out again. This time, she returned with a pot of tea, which she poured into two cups without needing to ask. Aly sat and picked up the cup, letting her mind focus on the smell of jasmine and the warm steam.

"Are you… going with… anyone?" she finally thought to ask.

Kel's face was inscrutable when she said, "One usually asks that _before_, not after."

Aly shrugged. "It seemed unimportant," she said.

"It's important now?" asked Kel.

"I think it might be," answered Aly.

"I'm not. Not anymore, that is," said Kel.

Aly nodded. "The same with me," she said quietly.

"What happened?" asked Kel, her expression very visibly bemused.

"Something good," answered Aly. "I'm _starving_, though."

Kel smiled. "Me too."


	5. The Ebb and Flow of Tide

The Ebb and Flow of Tides 

_Disclaimer: All characters and locations herein are the property of Tamora Pierce. Plot and actual written words owned by me. _

Winds whipped at her hair and clothes, weighed with the pervasive smell of brine. Sitting on the narrow bench that filled the boat's bow, she could watch Aly battling with assorted ropes and the flapping sail, or adjusting the position of the tiller at the stern. She couldn't help, never having sailed even a rudimentary craft like this one, but she enjoyed watching Aly so within her element, padding barefoot over the smooth wooden deck, her forehead creased in concentration.

The spring weather, which when they lifted anchor was so chilly that Kel protested Aly's light garb and bare feet, grew warmer as the afternoon waxed. The sunlight reflected off the water, intensifying. Kel fully expected to return home that evening with more freckles than she'd left with. The bronzing of Aly's face, forearms and feet was recent, so Kel knew Aly had been sailing her father's early birthday present, the aptly-named _Trickster_, often.

"Hand me a flask, will you, darling?" called Aly over the rushing wind. "They should be under the seat."

Reaching under the bench she pulled out a round wicker basket covered in a striped cloth. She hefted it onto her lap and undid the ties that secured the covering, reaching beneath it to pull out a leather flask of some liquid, which she deposited in Aly's outstretched hand. "What is it?" she asked loudly.

Aly winked. "Not spirits, if that's what you fear."

Kel smiled, sighed and shook her head.

"Yes, I am a silly girl, aren't I?" said Aly with a broad grin.

"I'm not sure how safe I feel, with all that silliness navigating," replied Kel, straight-faced.

Slackening her grip on a rope, Aly reached over to slap her knee lightly. Kel caught hold of her hand and pulled it up to her lips, and Aly giggled when she kissed it. Eventually she gave up and released the rope entirely, settling herself and her flask on the deck at Kel's feet, leaning against her legs and resting her head on her knee.

Almost of its own accord, Kel's hand reached down to her, tracing her lips and the arc of one cheek with a hesitant finger.

"How do you like my boat?"

"Quite a lot. Almost as much as its captain, in fact."

"You shouldn't tease like that!" admonished Aly, mock-hurt.

"Why?" asked Kel, smiling faintly.

"It's not _seemly_."

"That's never stopped you."

Aly frowned, considering. "Yes, that's true," she said gravely. "That leaves me with the choice of sacrificing either my teasing or my right to scold."

"Which will you pick?" asked Kel with interest.

"Alas, I could bear to part with neither," admitted Aly. Biting her lower lip, she hoisted herself up to crowd next to Kel on the bench. Sitting close against her, she again rested her head on Kel's ready shoulder and the other draped an arm around her back.

"That leaves you with being a hypocrite," she pointed out.

Aly grinned. "I can live with that."


End file.
